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Karen’s poetry wows judges

BALLYVAUGHAN-based writer Karen McDonnell has won the 2014 WOW award for poetry.  The prize is awarded annually by Wordsonthewaves, which publishes an anthology of fiction and poetry by shortlisted and winning writers. Two of McDonnell’s poems were long listed with one, Upstream, the Bliss of Heaven making the final shortlist. Part of a historical song-cycle, the poem’s subjects are Margaret Roper and her father Thomas More, who was condemned to death in the reign of Henry VIII. Commenting on his choice for the WOW! Poetry Prize, judge Knute Skinner wrote: “Is there a word out of place? I don’t think so.” McDonnell’s travel writing, fiction, non-fiction and poetry have been published in The Irish Times, Crannóg, The Clare Champion, by the Clare Poets, and in Los Angeles by the litzine poeticdiversity which will publish a second extract from Unsettled, a West Bank Journal in its Spring, 2014 issue. McDonnell is currently working on her first poetry collection, People this Little World. …

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Radio production training competition for schools

SCHOOLS  all over the country will have the opportunity to receive radio production training and enter their programmes into a national competition being organised as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2014 with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Seachtain na Gaeilge, continues until March 17 and there are thousands of events planned in Ireland and around the world to celebrate the Irish language and culture. Schools play an integral part in Seachtain na Gaeilge and this series of radio production workshops brings the festival to students throughout Ireland and gives them an opportunity to use Irish in a practical and exciting way. Groups of students are asked to enter a 30 minute Irish language radio show, which is open to four levels: 3-4th Class, 5-6th Class, 1-3rd Year and 4-6th Year. The winning entries in each category will receive a cash prize of €150, as well as airing on Raidió Rí-Rá, the Irish language radio station for young …

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Shielding children from bullying

NAME calling can leave scars deeper than any wound. The ISPCC’s Shield campaign is a directly focused endeavour to support schools, parents, teachers and students in standing up against bullying, developing positive responses and not accepting such negative behaviours as normal or tolerable. In 2013, Childline volunteers answered 8,059 calls related to physical, cyber and verbal bullying. Terrifying stories of fear, relentless teasing and intimidation were dealt with. Verbal Bullying can leave children feeling angry, frightened, and powerless. When a child is unable to share their feelings with someone else it can leave them emotionally exhausted and bruised. Verbal attacks can be highly personal. They can be directed towards a child’s family, race, colour, creed or religion. Malicious rumours are often started which are an indirect form of bullying. When any of this occurs, a child’s power of concentration can suffer which greatly affects their ability to learn. As a part of the campaign and to raise much needed funds …

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Minister Ring in Clare

MINISTER of State for Touirsm Michael Ring is in County Clare this Tuesday for a number of engagements. At noon he will perform the official opening of the new extension to the Burren Outdoor Centre, at Turlough, Bellharbour. Following this he will meeet the board of directors Lisdoonvarna Failte to dicusss tourism in the North Clare area. Finally, he will travel to West Clare to visit the rebranded Trump International Golf Links, Doonbeg to be briefed on development plans. Minister Ring will be accompanied by Clare Fine Gael Oireachtas members.

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Three men sentenced for robbery of pensioner

THREE Clare men have been sentenced for their part in the robbery of a pensioner who left his home by bicycle following the ordeal and continues to live in a nursing home. Noel Garry, aged 20 of Cooraclare, was sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to his involvement in a second robbery at 68 year old Michael McMahon’s home in West Clare. Mr Garry was described as the “most culpable of the three” involved in the case before Ennis Circuit Court this week. The Circuit Court was told that Mr McMahon cycled through the night from his home after it was targetted by around five criminals in two separate robberies on February 21 and 25, 2012 in which a total of between €7,000 and €8,000 was stolen. 21 year old Joseph Lernihan of Finnuremore Park, Mullagh, who admitted involvement in both robberies, was given a three year suspended sentence and ordered to pay the victim compensation of €3,790. 20 …

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Clare sporting heroes ‘selling’ Ireland

TWO Clare sporting heroes are challenging the entire nation to play their part in selling Ireland to foreign companies expanding into Europe. Three-time hurling All Star and All-Ireland winning manager with Clare, Davy Fitzgerald, has teamed up with Ireland and Lions rugby legend Keith Wood in a new ConnectIreland campaign which launches shortly at Shannon Airport. The duo are the latest high-profile ConnectIreland ambassadors to spur parishes, clubs and communities to link up with family, friends and contacts abroad to sell Ireland, boost job creation and create a future in Ireland for our brightest and best. The sporting legends have also joined in the growing YouTube campaign, alongside Martin Sheen, Michael Flatley, Saoirse Ronan and others, to spur the 70 million Irish at home and abroad to get Ireland back to work. Davy Fitzgerald said ConnectIreland is a brilliant initiative and urged the public to register, to play their part and create a future here for our smart, educated workforce. …

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Big push to resolve airlines pension dispute

IT has been decided that an expert panel should be established to carry out an urgent investigation of how a final resolution of the industrial relations issues relating to the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS) can be secured. This follows consultation by the secretary general of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Tom O’Mahony, and the secretary general of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, John Murphy, with both the chief executive of Ibec, Danny McCoy, and the general secretary of Congress, David Begg, Ibec and Congress have each nominated an industrial relations expert to lead the investigation, with the support of a financial expert, to comprise the Panel. The Panel members are: Mr Brendan McGinty and Ms Laura Gallagher (KPMG), and Mr Peter McLoone and Mr Eugene McMahon (Mazars). Important areas of disagreement remain between the parties, which have resulted in the current impasse. However, in the case of DAA and Aer Lingus, it is noted that …

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World Wildlife Day

THE United Nations General Assembly has dedicated this Monday as the inaugural World Wildlife Day, a day to celebrate wildlife and to commit to its protection and conservation. The ISPCA is asking Irish people to reflect on how some wild animals are treated in this country. The ISPCA cares for all animals, including wild animals and is shocked by how our wildlife is treated by some people in this country. “In 2013, the Government missed an opportunity to consign hare coursing, fox hunting and the use of wild animals in circuses to the history books where they belong, but the proposed amendments to the imminent Animal Health and Welfare Act were voted down by TDs,” a spokesperson said. “Ireland is lagging behind other countries in protecting wildlife and the ISPCA encourages citizens to stand up for wild animals and support legislative change. We call on the government to introduce legislation to consign these cruel practices to history and to demonstrate …

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